hi Page 1706 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Spurned Belichick Superfan Blows A Gasket
Laura London was a big Patriots fan. Specifically, a Bill Belichick fan. She started a website devoted to him, and ran it faithfully for years. Then she tried to sell it to the team for $1 million. That's when things got interesting....

Hey, More Realignment Rumors. Awesome.
Oh no, we're not done. The Texas League may have settled their little dust up, but Crazy Conference Chatter is not over. The Pac-11 still needs a 12th man and the Big East will apparently take whatever they can get....

Tim Donaghy On Game 6: The Refs Get A Night Off
Tim Donaghy, the former NBA referee who spent 11 months in prison for relaying inside information to gamblers, is reviewing the performance of his former colleagues during the NBA Finals. Here's a quarter-by-quarter breakdown of Game 6, with video....

Which World Cup Coach Hit On Jemele Hill?
The sultry Ms. Hill had the moves put on her by a World Cup coach yesterday. She shut him down, but refuses to name the would-be Casanova. We look at the candidates....

World Cup Open Thread: Honduras-Chile
Day 6 kicks things off with two of the favorite countries of coup d'etat enthusiasts. Honduras's nickname, Los Catrachos, is based on a mispronunciation of the last name of a general who was the basis of a bizarre Ed Harris movie....

Alexander Ovechkin Is Enjoying His Summer
Because no one reads the newspaper, and SportsCenter's anchors are too perky for this early in the morning, Deadspin combs the best of the broadsheets and internets to bring you everything you need to know to start your day....

Albert Haynesworth Continues To Out-Haynesworth Himself
It seems that the NFL's most well-paid defensive lineman finds playing defensive lineman to be an unreasonable job requirement and wants to be traded—even though his stupidly gargantuan contract makes that impossible....

North Korean Soccer Fans Are Actually Chinese "Volunteers" (UPDATE)
North Korea's World Cup debut elicited touching stories about the ragtag group of soccer fans "hand-picked" by the Communist regime to support their squad in South Africa. Turns out they were hand-picked for their skill at not being Korean....

Tom Izzo: Spartan "For Life"
That sounds about right. Now ... exhale. [Lansing State Journal]...

The Legend Of Black Superman: Billy Ray Bates, Flying High In The Philippines
In the 1980s, Billy Ray Bates, dubbed "the Legend" by Brent Musberger, washed out of the NBA and onto the shores of the Philippines, where for a few wild years his legend grew, both on the court and in the bars....

Jonathan Toews To Be <em>NHL 2011</em> Cover Boy?
According to this picture, Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews will be the cover athlete for EA's NHL 2011, a year after his linemate, social drinker Patrick Kane, adorned the cover. [Operation Sports, via Puck Daddy]...

NYCers: Come Chat New "Book" With Emeritus
If you happen to be in the NYC area tonight, come to the Barnes and Noble on 86th and Lexington to see me talk about Are We Winning at 7 p.m. Booze and NBA Finals afterward for all comers....

Last Night's Winner: Joe Schadenfreude
In sports, everyone's a winner — some just win better than others. Like Chip Brown of Orangebloods.com, who went sources-against-sources with ESPN's college football show pony, Joe Schad, during the Big 12 realignment saga and won the battle of truth....

Touchdown Jesus Statue Destroyed By Act Of God (UPDATE WITH VIDEO)
Via the Cincinnati Enquirer: "Lightning struck and ignited a fire late Monday that destroyed a 62-foot-tall statue of Jesus Christ with his arms stretched toward the skies." He'll be back, I'm sure. UPDATE: Watch Him burn! Video below....

FedEx: When You Absolutely, Positively Need Your Son's Team To Play In A BCS Conference
Memphis, stricken by Realignment Fever, is trying to negotiate their way into a bigger conference or, failing that, find a wealthy benefactor to buy them one. Thankfully, they (and their quarterback) have an international conglomerate at their disposal....

Cell Phone-Bosomed Paraguay Girl Is The Star Of The World Cup So Far
You can be happy, the rest of your life, with a Paraguay Girl. Even the Italians, who had to settle for a troubling tie from the scrappy republic known primarily for its political unrest and its chief export, mandals....

Tim Donaghy On Game 5: Why Make-Up Calls Are Necessary
Tim Donaghy, the former NBA referee who spent 11 months in prison for relaying inside information to gamblers, is reviewing the performance of his former colleagues during the NBA Finals. Here's a quarter-by-quarter breakdown of Game 5, with video....

Tonya Harding Sex Fantasy Page Still Surprisingly Active
Here's an unwelcome departure from refuckingallignment and World Cup news: Tonya Harding, disgraced former figure skater, still has fans. Horny fans, actually, who not-so-eloquently fantasize about "karate fucking" her and other disturbing coital activities....

World Cup Open Thread: Japan-Cameroon
Japan's captain Makoto Hasebe is reportedly fully healed from a back injury, but can he lead Samurai Blue past Internazionale badass Samuel Eto'o and the rest of the Indomitable Lions? Should be a sizzler, so comment below....

A Reader Gives Us The Origin Of The World Cup "Sex Machines" Sign
Reader Josh H. has been deputized to the I-team: It's a song by Ghana rap group "Ruff N Smooth" called "Sex Machine." The the people of Ghana do love their humping....